I tried to put into words why I love horses so much and came up with this speech:

"My treasures do not chink or glitter... they gleam in the sun and neigh in the night" -Old Arab Proverb

I think that is a beautiful quote, and as you may have guessed, it refers to horses. It shows how much these Arab people valued them. But of course they aren’t the only ones who recognize the value of the horse. You can find people everywhere who love horses, for example, myself. And I’m here to give you insight about why; why I love riding, why anyone would love it.

So why do people love horses? Well, many are fascinated by the very paradox that surrounds the existence of the horse; the fact that they are gentle and docile but at the same time they have a wildness to them that you can’t ever really tame. That wildness, that desire to run with the wind and leap over every obstacle is part of what makes horses so wonderful. That fiery spirit they have can be so inspiring at times.

There’s also something so liberating about horseback riding. It gives you such a feeling of freedom. It’s enough to make you forget all your troubles for a while, and then face up to them with renewed energy and determination. It’s a sport, like any other, the only difference as that you’re working with an animal instead of just other people. It gives you that adrenaline rush, it’s exciting, challenging, fun, and I don’t know exactly why, but it really does make you feel like you can do anything. As was said by Pam Brown “A horse is the projection of people's dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.” She also said: “Horses lend us the wings we lack.”

In addition, horses are very intelligent. You can train them to do all sorts of things, which is why there are so many different equestrian sports available. But besides being intelligent, each horse has it’s own personality. This is very important, because as a rider, you can find a horse with a personality that you understand and like, a personality that just fits with yours naturally. Having that kind of connection with your horse is part of what makes riding such a unique experience.

I’ll tell you a story now, to illustrate my point. I used to ride this cute little gray quarter horse. His show name was Roger Rabbit and he was only 4 years old when I started riding him, which is fully grown for a horse but still young and inexperienced. At random moments he would buck or start galloping, and he was afraid of like every little noise. But I could ride him really well, because I am understanding and I knew that he misbehaved out of boredom. I love that horse because I understand him and like his personality. I found that I’m good at riding the high-strung, spirited type of horses that want to go really fast. I’m good at quieting them down because I’m not afraid that they’re trying to go so fast, so I don’t overreact, and I have the patience to deal with them. That’s just my personality. It gives me certain strengths as a rider. And it’s like that for every person; who you are determines how you interact with the horse and what kind of horse you’ll like.

For example, a friend of mine rode this moody, lazy mare all the time, and one day we tried to switch. It didn’t work. I could not get this horse to move fast. And my friend didn’t like Roger, she tried to ride him again another day and he bucked her off. Roger was very well behaved for me in part because he liked me. For example, one time, I was jumping and made a mistake and almost fell off, and Roger slowed down on purpose so I wouldn’t. My riding instructor yelled out “He likes you.”

So it’s funny, there’s a different horse for every person. Most people think of horses as just big dumb animals, but they aren’t, especially if you find one that you have that connection with. It just makes interacting with horses so much more interesting and more personal for you. Because that connection is part of what makes riding such a unique experience.

Even if you don’t compete, riding is wonderful for its own sake. Horses really are amazing creatures. They are intelligent and spirited, and have so much personality. They can be your companion or take you for a ride, and they really do make you feel very free. There are so many things you can do once you learn how to ride. It opens up a whole new world for you. So this is why a lot of people love riding, why I love it, and why I’d encourage you guys to give riding a try at least once in your lifetime - because, you never know, you might love it too.


Here is another speech, this time about The Simpsons lol. I asked for help from evboard on this one, and it paid off:

Time magazine named it the best tv show of the century. 4 million people watch reruns of it every weekday. Life magazine called it "a savagely satirical animated half hour of family therapy." "The Simpsons!"- a show that has made it’s mark on the world by satirizing every part of society and culture. The show reveals, mocks and publicly re-examines all aspects of our modern society.
Writers of The Simpsons know that comedy can be used to attack anybody, and they often do this through creative parodies and the use of allusions. It has been said that the show “plays games of one-upmanship with its audience by challenging them to identify the avalanche of allusions it throws down to them.” In fact, Carl Matheson of the University of Manitoba calls The Simpsons the pioneer of “quotationalism,” which means referencing contemporary culture. The Simpsons “works to incite critique, demanding that viewers ask 'what stories should we believe.' This has established the show as an intelligent standout among usual crude shows like South Park, which consists mostly of raunchy jokes and has very little moral value. Behind all the satire though is the driving force of the Simpsons: family. Creator Matt Groening says "There's sort of an unspoken rule that we have on the show, which is we can do humor as dark as we want to, but the show itself is a celebration of the family." And as James L. Brooks said, the Simpson family represents "the normal American family in all its beauty and horror,"

The show tackles many issues. I’m going to give you some examples, to help illustrate what I’ve been saying.
Violence
The Itchy & Scratchy cartoons that Bart and Lisa watch solely consist of a mouse viciously dismembering, beating, blowing-up, etc., a cat –(which is a parody of the old “Tom and Jerry cartoons). They laugh hysterically at all this, but any normal person can see that it’s not funny at all, it’s actually really violent and disturbing. And that’s the point, it makes you think about how much violence is on tv these days and how it’s affecting kids.
The Media
In an episode called "Homer Badman" Homer is accused of sexual harassment. He does an interview on a show called "Rock Bottom" to try to clear his name, and the show completely distorts the facts and makes him look guilty. This episode is a critique of news shows and their inflammation of events.
Politics
Another concern that The Simpsons addresses is the amount of corruption that goes on in the American system. Diamond Joe Quimby, the mayor of Springfield, is an example of a corrupt leader. The abuse of power in the upper ranks expresses a call for honesty in politics.
The Simpsons also addresses the power abused by big businesses. The "ultimate capitalist" on The Simpsons is Mr. Burns. His motto is, "If you can take advantage of a situation in some way, it's your duty as an American to do it" (Groening 224). When inspectors attempt to shut down his unsafe power plant, Burns simply tries to bribe them. Instead of caring for the safety of his employees, or the entire town.
Religion
Scarce religious material can be found on prime-time tv, even though religion is a large aspect of the world. According to Gerry Bowler, a philosophy professor at Canadian Nazarene College, The Simpsons "takes religion's place in society seriously enough to do it the honor of making fun of it" The Simpsons makes jokes about religion where they are due, but as a whole it takes religion quite seriously. Religion is a part of the world- The Simpsons is one of the few shows brave enough to admit it
Christianity is constantly mocked through the characters Ned Flanders and Reverend Lovejoy. Reverend Lovejoy makes God seem harsh and vengeful. And in one episode he calls Ned Flanders "the fallen one" because of a traffic offense. But the importance of religion is shown through the theme of religion affecting the morals and decisions of characters. For example, when the family is trying to decide whether or not to take a man into their home, Marge reminds Homer that the Bible says, "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me"
These are just some of the issues addressed by the The Simpsons. There are many more that I don’t have time to mention. But I would like to share this quote from a recent article on the subject. “Family sitcoms of times past typically portrayed the modern American dream as something it never was: a happy family where disagreements are laughably mild and easily resolved, the kids succeed in school, social handicaps are easily overcome, and finances are rarely a problem. The Simpsons, on the other hand, is a more realistic take on the modern American dream--a content family headed by a reasonably stable marriage fueled by a lot of hard work and healthy (and sometimes heated) arguments, fed by modest income from a middle-class, low-skill job, and ultimately ruled by kids who face actual problems and disappointments relative to today's society.” This makes The Simpsons a slightly more grim view of modern society, but it isn't all grim --most episodes have a plot that leads to a small victory for a character.
So, despite the misperceptions of some viewers, The Simpsons— is actually one of the most moral programs on TV, especially when you consider the audience for which it is produced. This satirical cartoon, intended for people with “an adequately-mature mind” (pg14) mocks the hypocritical, insensitive and dishonest attitudes found within much of our society. With it’s never-ending supply of allusions and creative parodies, it helps us see things in a different light and encourages viewers to think, to think about the problems and issues of today. It really is the ultimate satire, a critical commentary on modern life.

wow...great drawings Medley.

wow...you are talented...they are awesome.

nice work. if you don't mind i'd like to barrow the tiger painting and put it on my desktop

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Anger. The emotion of change.
Kill for me.

Wow! You are so talented! I love The Last Unicorn from what I've seen of it! Hope you draw more, also your poems are beautiful

Blessed be
Fiona

i love the desert cat and the colored ink horse. it was very unique (sp?) i also liked the blue landscape. but i dunno maybe i just don't have a very good artistic eye but i don't see a dissolving sandcastle in the dissolving sandcastle pic

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Anger. The emotion of change.
Kill for me.

Don't you just love satire?


The Prince and the Damsel
(by me and my friend Rachel)

Once upon a time, in a magical kingdom far, far away, there lived a beautiful princess. She was both lovely and sweet, and liked to sing songs, frolic with unicorns in the meadow, chase fairies in the forest, and brush her long, silky hair.

One day, while the princess was innocently picking wild flowers, a grotesque looking stranger approached her. He captured the princess, and took her to his dark and evil-looking castle. The princess could not stop him, for she was extremely naïve and unable to fend for herself. She found herself in a predicament that even her songs and her hairbrush could not save her from, a situation that most fairy tale princesses seem to end up in. She was now a helpless captive, a damsel in distress.

One gloomy morning, this princess, Esmeralda, was singing one of her sad, heartbreaking songs. This song had a depressing melody to it and could be heard miles and kilometers and hilltops and rooftops away.

A handsome, noble prince was riding his mighty stallion through the forest, when he heard the princess’ beautiful cry of distress. He was a very heroic hero, and rescuing fair damsels was one of his many hobbies, besides slaying ogres and admiring himself in his handy pocket-mirror, and playing chess and croquet. So he urged on his swift and powerful steed and galloped off into the wilderness, into lands unknown, to save the owner of this wondrous voice. The prince knew the one who had this breathtaking, angelic voice was his hearts desire. He knew that this woman, who he also knew would be breathtakingly beautiful, would immediately fall in love with him because of his dashing good looks and suave personality.

The prince’s journey trekked on for six long, lonely, excruciating months. He hacked his way through a huge and impenetrable hedge maze of thorns. Then he moved on through the land of the happy, magical pixies, where he would like to go back to one day, and then into the dreadful, untouchable forest. After this, he crossed the rickety bridge over the bottomless chasm, and then the other bridge with a troll living under it.

One evening, while lying down to take a rest from his long, treacherous journey, he thought to
himself, “What if the owner of this celestial voice is a hideously sickening old woman, or even a man, and not a beautiful woman as I had once dreamed?” This thought disturbed him so, that he slept uneasily that night, and the concept plagued him for days until he reached the cursed, menacing, interesting, murky, somber castle. It was just as he had pictured it in his mind while traveling through these many obstacles.

The courageous, fearless prince jumped into the green moat surrounding the castle, and swam onward toward the drawbridge. He skillfully avoided the lily pads and refused to be distracted by their colorful flowers. Then, he used his wits to discover the castle’s secret entrance, which was right through the large door in the front of the castle.

The prince then had to use his magical, enchanted sword to slay the fire-breathing dragon inside the castle. Afterward, he was very tired and he accidentally stumbled into “The Pit of Scorpions & Very Poisonous Snakes,” according to a nearby sign, which stated that “The owner of this castle is not liable for any injury/death or other unfortunate occurrences that may happen here or elsewhere in the castle premises.”

The prince emerged sometime later, with a determined look in his eye and a snake in his hair. Then, a stranger appeared before him. The prince judged that this stranger was the evil owner of the castle, and the one who had captured the princess. The prince was right, for he was very good at judging things by their appearance, since he was such a superficial person.

The prince shook a few scorpions out of his princely robes and drew his sword. He and his new enemy glared at each other and made threatening motions. Then, he and the prince fought like angry, ferocious, perturbed professional wrestlers. Eventually, the battle ended and the prince was victorious, since this story would be even more pointless if he died.
The prince then rescued his princess from the tallest tower. He took her and threw her over his horse, which magically turned into a unicorn, and they rode off into the evening sunset and they lived happily ever after.

The End

And here's an illustration:

(yes, I took that pic lol)


More Satire (this time in essay form):

The Truth About Lies

“You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” - and why should anyone even want to tell the truth when they can lie? Many people feel that lying is unethical, but that is only because they are not fully aware of all the benefits that lies can bring. Lying gives you the opportunity to be creative and manipulate the feelings of others. Besides, everybody does it.

Lying can be a very creative way to express yourself. You can use your imagination to make up stories and twist facts. You can also practice your acting skills, by trying to look completely sincere while you decieve others. You can make up feelings that you don’t really have, and act them out. With the help of lies, your life will have constant drama, like a movie in which you are the star (and probably the antagonist.)

Perhaps the most valuable benefit of lying is that you can use it to control the emotions of others. You can give people false hope, or cause them to become angry, sad, ect. In addition, you can make someone like you, by telling them what they want to hear. You can brag about things you haven’t done, and make up information in order to sound smart, which will cause people to have more respect for you. It can also be entertaining for you to see how long it takes for people to doubt what you say. It can be like a game, a challenge to see how long you can keep someone’s trust.

Of course, they may eventually become aware of this constant fabrication, and be terribly hurt once they realize they have been misled, but it’s a small price to pay for the entertainment it will give you. It is possible that no one will ever believe you again, but this will only give you more freedom, for you will no longer have to care what anyone else thinks of what you say. Remember, your feelings are more important - and if anyone annoys you or objects to your behavior, get them back by spreading lies about them.
The world is full of fabrication, cheaters, con artists, and hypocrisy. At any given moment, there is someone out there attempting to decieve you. In order to compete in this world, you need to lie as well. To make things go your way, you must say exactly what you want without letting the truth hinder you. Besides, even the best of us lie; even great people like former President Richard Nixon. Without lies, he may never have achieved such greatness.
So keep in mind that “Thou shalt not lie” is a commandment you can ignore. The truth is a chain that will bind you, that will tie you down to boring, cruel reality. Express yourself the way you want and take control of your life. Use lies to be creative, influence the emotions of others, and join all the other liars of the world.

OMG I luv ur stuff it's awsome. Plz post more!!!

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Thank you! I definitely will!

In Defense of Emotional People

The prevailing view in our society is that emotions are weaknesses that should be suppressed. Yet, to feel nothing is just not human. Those people who are not afraid to cry are often the ones who are most in touch with their emotions, and this is not necessarily a bad thing.
What is life without emotion and sensitivity? We watch movies, listen to music, and do so many other things just so we can feel something. Yet we criticize anyone who acts overly sentimental. At times, we as a society forget, that it is the sensitive people who are the most caring and understanding. We forget that those who go through life seemingly without emotion are probably in denial of their feelings, or too selfish to care about the things that surround them, things that should make them feel something. To cry, to let something get to you, to be affected by things that aren’t directly hurting you - for some reason this is considered a weakness, so much so that people are even ashamed to have clinical depression because they will be told that they are weak.
It is my belief that people should not be ashamed of something as natural as a feeling. To be in touch with your emotions is to live life to fullest, for what life would there be without the pursuit of happiness, and without those sad moments that make us appreciate the happiness we already have? Clearly, to judge those that are sensitive is hypocrisy, for they are the ones who become truly involved in their lives; involved enough to feel a full range of emotions and understand the emotions of others.


and another:

“For in much wisdom is much grief …”

Imagine if you knew everything there was to know. With so much knowledge and wisdom, think of the amazing things you could do, of how superior to everyone else you would become. Suddenly, you would be able to do things you never dreamed of before. Being that smart would solve all your problems, and give you a perfect life and perfect happiness - or so you would like to think.
You will want things you now know about but can never have. You will no longer be able to interact with normal people or enjoy normal things, finding the average life far too plain and devoid of discovery or challenge. You will understand your own limitations and flaws far better, and realize how illusory and unfair life really is. You will find yourself going insane with boredom and the inability to fix any of the stupidity that you see going on around you. Then, you will have true wisdom, the ability to understand that wisdom isn’t everything. You may wish to undo it, to go back to your prior innocence, but that is impossible.
Now take a look at the opposing scenario. You know nothing. You are ignorant, but extremely happy and carefree. Nothing worries you and nothing bothers you, because you are too naïve to recognize danger or take in the full harshness of reality. You live like a child, lacking wisdom and good judgment. This may lead you into a happiness that you will never question, because as they say, ignorance is bliss.
But just because you are not aware of something does not mean it cannot hurt you. For example, even if you don’t see the truck coming, it can still hit you. You may never know about the missed opportunities or the troubling things that only others understand, but that is not a guarantee for happiness. In fact, it may leave you unprepared for many things, and you may end up with as much grief in your life as any wiser person, and find yourself looking back and saying “if only I had known …”
Neither of these situations is ideal. In fact, they are both equally horrible in their own ways. So the quote “For in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow,” is true, but only partially. It is not necessarily too much wisdom that causes our grief, because not having enough wisdom can have the same effect.
It is true that the more you know, the more you can worry about. Also, it is a medical fact that smarter people are more likely to get clinical depression. However, more knowledgeable people also tend to be more successful and better at getting what they want. They may do things such as going to college, which will bring them happiness by allowing them to get a better job, and feel more confident and better about themselves. On the other hand, who can forget the innocence of childhood, when knowing very little really was bliss. Who wouldn’t want to preserve that, and keep from spoiling it by learning too much and losing their ability to be carefree? By choosing to see no evil and hear no evil we may preserve some of our enjoyable ignorance, but to do this is to go through life blindfolded. However, in the words of Aeschylus, “He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.”
So, both wisdom and ignorance can bring us grief, and also happiness. “Knowledge is power, but ignorance is bliss.”